Product Description

The sensational critical biography of this phenomenal entrepreneur and his business practices - fully updated to cover Branson's recent ventures. No British tycoon is more popular, few claim to be richer and none has masterminded a more recognisable brand than Richard Branson. What is behind the success of the buccaneering balloonist, the tabloids' favourite celebrity nude, the 'grinning jumper' and the scourge of corporate goliaths? Helped by eyewitness accounts of more than 250 people with direct experience of Branson, Tom Bower has a uncovered a different tale to the one so eagerly promoted by Virgin's publicists. Here is the full story of Branson: his businesses, his friendships, his ambition, his law-breaking, his drug-taking, his bullying. From the cockpit of a balloon in the clouds to the centre of Branson's operations in his Holland Park home this book is an intimate scrutiny of exactly how Richard Branson created himself and sold himself. Tom Bower's biography reveals Branson to be a single-minded profiteer who, while occasionally generous to others, has a fixed purpose to enhance his family's wealth in secret off-shore trust funds. Instead of a glittering saint, Branson emerges as a devious actor, proud of plucking for his own profit the good ideas of others. From his quest to acquire the license for the National Lottery to his plans to launch space tourism with Virgin Galactic, this fully updated edition follows Branson's enterprises and investments up to the recent, failed bid for Northern Rock.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #140223 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

Review
Praise for 'Branson': 'An addictive read, packed with sex, money, tantrums -- top quality.' Guardian 'One of the most devastating books of the year!an explosive book. Bower reveals a remarkable and sinister picture of the man who likes to appear as the ever-smiling hero.' Daily Mail 'Bower's book is a devastating indictment.' Sunday Times 'A damning biography!startling accusations.' Daily Express

Review
'Way more spicy than the usual corporate arse-lick'

About the Author
Tom Bower is a brilliant investigative writer and biographer. His subjects have included Robert Maxwell, Mohammad Al Fayed, the head of British Intelligence Stewart Menzies and Conrad and Lady Black.

Customer Reviews

a different perspective
I have read pretty much most books on this great man, but i feel that a lot of what the author has wrote is probably closer to the truth in more ways than one. No body gets to the position that branson has, financially or in terms of publicity, if he was totally innocent of some claims made in this book. It doesnt detract in anyway the inspiration he instills in normal everyday folk to better themselves but you do have a nagging thought at the back of your head , on whether he really did get all this by smiling and being mr nice guy to everyone around him ???
Also the fact that he is uk`s best known and respected businessman, most of his wealth is stored overseas, in essence, depriving the uk tax system from the bulk of his wealth, `rich - leterally, coming from someone who loves to wave the british flag in an effort to drum up more business.

Would the real Richard Branson please stand up...
This is an excellent book to read if you want an alternative profile of RB rather than accepting the one portrayed in the popular media. Amazing detail of conversations and Virgin businesses.

Factual and damning at the same time
When I ordered this book I didn't realise it wasn't the official biography and within a few pages I'd decided this book was just an indictment of one of Britain's best loved businessmen by an author in essence jealous of Branson's success, feeling that he'd cheated to get to the top. My conclusion when I'd finished the book was that this book could have been so much better had the author stuck to fact and not opinion.

There's no doubt this book is well researched - I'm tempted to suggest that since I haven't heard of much in the way of legal action by Branson following its publication, its content is probably highly accurate (it's even got a very negative comment on the book by Branson himself on the back cover). In fact, from a content point of view I found it a very interesting book and a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining read. In particular, I was fascinated by the way Branson juggled his different ventures throughout this history of the Virgin brand.

What I was not so keen on however was the way in which the author used every opportunity he could in the book to draw conclusions that each event showed another reason why Branson was a cheat, a sulk, a bully, and a hypocrite. I found this rather sad as I felt it showed that strange British phenomenon of trying to knock down success stories of people who have made it. The world of business is not a nice place, to believe that any successful business is whiter than white is churlish - in some ways, the book provides a great introduction to how important brand marketing is, and that is something even the author acknowledges Branson is superb at.

Would I recommend this book? definitely, but be warned, there is a lot of opinion there which I don't really feel is warranted.